Cannabis Results from the 2016 Election.

While the jury is still out about the effects of turning both Indiana and the nation blood red, Cannabis fared very well during the 2016 election. California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada joined Colorado, Washington State, Oregon, Alaska and D.C. In relegalization for personal use. Only Arizona lost. For medical, Florida, Arkansas, Montana and North Dakota joins the ranks of 26 other states that have some degree of medical. Now, one in five Americas live in a state where at least some form of relegalization has occurred.

We fare much worse in Indiana.

According to the research I have done, Hoosiers voted in droves for Trump, and rather than using some basic common sense, voted straight ticket, costing the Indiana Democrats the election. Most Indiana Republican office holders oppose Cannabis on any level. Approximatey 90% of Indiana Democratic candidates favored at least medical.

That said, there are rumors that the Republicans in Indiana may offer up some form of medical, as they apparently want to “Own” the issue. Military veterans organizations, particularly the American Legion now support medical.

The big question now is whether the Trump administration will get Jeff Sessions, R-Iowa, will be confirmed as Attorney General. Sessions is a rabid prohibitionist, and could very well overturn the “Cole memo” that has backed off federal intervention in those states that have relegalized. The drip down from this might have an adverse effect on the remaining states like Indiana that have yet to take action.

We did have two Republicans that responded to our 2016 Candidate Survey. Dr. Joseph Shank, in District 34 (Muncie) lost to incumbent Sue Errington (one of our supporters). Shank said he backed medical and decrim, but not tax and regulate. William Walters, who supported full relegalization, lost to Democrat Melanie Wright who did not respond to the survey.